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Wear - Donate - Recycle, is the global movement that educates and engages people, businesses, organizations, and governments to support programs that encourage the diversion of textile waste from landfills.


The recycling of textiles is one of the few products that not only helps on an environmental level but on a philanthropic one as well, as it provides an effective and convenient fundraising component to many cause related organizations.

 

The EPA reports clothing and textile recycling has a greater impact on reducing greenhouse gases then recycling yard waste, glass, and plastic. 

Zero Post-Consumer Waste in our landfills by 2037

Environmental Facts

  • Textile Recycling is the oldest form of recycling

  • 70% of the world depends on secondhand clothing and shoes

  • A rubber soled shoe takes approximately 50 years to breakdown

  • 16.22 MILLION TONS of textiles were discarded in 2014 

  • 6.3% of landfill waste is comprised of textiles: equals 81 POUNDS PER PERSON THROWN AWAY ANNUALLY!

  • 90% of post-consumer waste is recyclable 

  • That number only represents 20% of all textile waste, 80% ends up in landfills

90% of post-consumer waste is recyclable

Textile Recycling is the oldest form of recycling

70% of the world depends on secondhand clothing and shoes

16.22 Million Tons

of textiles were discarded in 2014

6.3%

of landfill waste is comprised of textiles: equals 81 POUNDS PER PERSON THROWN AWAY ANNUALLY!

80%

of all textile waste ends up in landfills

USAGE (After local giveaway programs)

  • 45% is used as apparel which is sold locally to thrift stores and exported to emerging markets where the demand for affordable clothing is particularly high.​​​​​​​​​​​​​NOTE: this procedure is used almost exclusively by all the large charitable and  commercial

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  • 30% of recovered textiles not suitable for reuse become wiping and polishing cloths used in commercial and industrial settings.

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  • 20% of non-useable textiles are reprocessed into fibers for furniture stuffing, upholstery, insulation, sound proofing, carpet padding, making new clothing, building and other materials.

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  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​5% is unusable and not fit for recycling or reuse.

Philanthropic Facts

  • The purchase of recovered textiles provides millions of dollars per year to charitable organizations and serves as a critical source of revenue to support ongoing community-based programs.

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  • Collections also help provide goods to local giveaway program

Purchase

The purchase of recovered textiles provides millions of dollars per year to charitable organizations and serves as a critical source of revenue to support ongoing community-based programs.

Collections

Collections also help provide goods to local giveaway programs

45%

is used as apparel which is sold locally to thrift stores and exported to emerging markets where the demand for affordable clothing is particularly high.

30%

of recovered textiles not suitable for reuse become wiping and polishing cloths used in commercial and industrial settings.

20%

of non-useable textiles are reprocessed into fibers for furniture stuffing, upholstery, insulation, sound proofing, carpet padding, making new clothing, building and other materials.

5%

is unusable and not fit for recycling or reuse.

Source:
Informational graphics are provided from the Secondary Materials and Recycling Textiles (SMART)
an international nonprofit trade association established in 1932.


www.smartasn.org
 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report on Advancing Sustainable Materials Management
2014 Fact Sheet and Tables and Figures (Nov. 2016)

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